Ensilage distributor



1,539,559 F. HAMACHEK ENSILAGE DISTRIBUTOR' May 26, 19425.

4 sheets-smeety 1 Filed Aug. 30, 1920 May 26, 1925. 1,539,559

F. HAMACHEK ENSILAGE DISTRIBUTOR Filed Allg. 30, 1920 .4 Sheets-Sheet 2qFIG. Z.

' w/.TNESSES /NVENTOR ATTORNEY up TUHNEYM NVNTOR F HAMACHEK ENS ILAGE DISTRI BUTOR Filed Aug. 30. 1920 May Z6, 1925.

May 26, 1925.

F. HAMACHEK ENSILAGE DISTRIBUTOR Filed Aug. ,30. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 4VENT() /Cf ,i 'a' ATTORNEY WITNESSES. @7 5. 7% ,6J/J

Patented May 26, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT" FRANK HAMACHEK, OF KEWAUNEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNORTO FRANKy HAMACHEK" MACHINE COMPANY, OF KEWAUNEE, WISCONSIN, ACORPORATION OIEl WISCONSIN,

EnsriLAGn nrsrn'rnu'ron.

Appnctioa ined August' 3b, 1926. serial Nb. 406,895'.

Be it known that I ,FRAir HAMAGHEK, a citizen of the United States, 'andresidentof Kewaunee, county of Kewaunee, andy State ofvVisconsin, haveinvented new and'u'seful Improvements in Ensila'ge Distributors, of,which the following is a description, reference being had totheaccompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention has for its object to' provide a distributor for ensilageIor the like for filling ysilos or making stacks by an even and uniformdistribution from a spout which is rotatably driven and whose effectiveradial length may be varied by the attendant, thus causing the materialto be deposited in concentricy circles of different diameters.

Another object for the invention is to provide for driving the spoutvrotating mechanism from the elevating conveyor. l

Another object for the invention is to per` fect details of constructionas hereafter pointed out. With the above and other objects in View theinvention consists of the ensilage distributor, its parts andcombinations of partsas hereinl claimed and all equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like characters ofreference in'dicate the same parts indifferent views:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of an ensilage distributor constructedin accordance with this invention; l

Fig. 2 i-s a plan View thereof on a larger scale with the elevatingconveyor andthe stationary mouth and other parts removed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view showingthe support and drive for therevolving mouth; y f

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of the revolving mouth, the spoutsupporting fra-me and the hinge connection for the spout; L

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of one of the spout sections; and, 4

Fig. 6 is a rear View of the revolving mouth.

In these drawings 10 indicates a platform which may` constitute thefloor of a room at the top of a siloA 11, as shown, or may-besuitablysupported'above the location for a stack. l

An elevating conveyor 12,v preferably of the endless apron type,terminates aty its upper end in a downwardly extending. fixed tubularmquth Tramontaisis-eda? posed with relationto the roller 14 aroundwliichthe conveyor apron `}`g`a" s` se`s tol receive the ensilage as itfalls from the con? veyor and guidev it into a cylindrical rota-v tablelmouth 15 ,whi c h 'passes through an opening in the platform l0. I

As seen inFig's". ,2 and 3, the rotatable mouth issuppvortied betweenrollers 16 are adju'stably mounted on a 4ringll which is fastened torectangular frame18y V supported by or forming 'part of theplatf'ormlframe. Thev tapering flanged rollers 16 between an upper and lower trackring'19l and 20 fastened around the upper part of, the 'rotatablemouth15. The upper track ring 19is provided with gear teeth so that itconstitutes a gear ring aswell, and adriving pinion 21 on a verticalshaft 22 meshes therewith. The shaft 22 is mountedl in suitsI ablebearings and carries a worm wheelf23 meshing with aworm 24 von aysprocket wheel 25 connected by a chain 26 with another sprocket wheelon the shaft of the roller 14 of the elevating conveyor. Thus, themovements of the conveyor are'utilized to drive the rotatable mouth, thepinion causing the mouth to turn slowly in'one'direction while materialis being fed therethrough.

The lower part of the rotatable mouth 15,L beneath thetfrackvrin'g 2O isboxedin by al strong rectangular metal frame, as seenin: Fig. 4, formedby 'straightside plates 27 and bent end lplates 28 with'their bent endsriveted to the ends of the side plates, as seen in Fig. 3. A line ofbolts or rivets 29 firmly secures eachend plate 28 to the. mouthpiece1,5 while a free space is provided between the mouthpiece and thesideplates/127 spac-v ing' blocks 30 on connecting bolts 31 serving shape togive greater inclination to the surface on which the ensilage drops andthus increasing its speed of travel along the spout. This section of thespout has a hinge connection with the rotatable mouth 15 or the metalframe which surrounds it. This hinge connection is formed by a rod orshaft v mounted in hangers 36 which are bolted to the bolted ends of themetal lates 27 and 28, said rod or shaft 35 having pivotally mounted onit a yoke frame 37 to which the 'upper end of the spout 34 is secured.

To give added strength to the pivotally supported frame for thedischarge spout and to the support for the supporting arms 32 the boltedends of the plates 27 and 28 form horizontal extensions engaged byhook-like flanges or projections on the hangers 36 and on stirrup plates27 which are bolted to these extensions and extend beneath thesupporting arms.

ting of the swinging adjustment of the discharge spout through a wideangle from its fully raised position, as shown in Fig. l, fordischarging at the walls of the silo or at the outer edge of the stackto a position in which it hangs practically vertical for depositing at.the center of tlre silo or stack, and, of course, permitting of anyangular adjustvment between these extremes, the close fit of theoverlappingside edges of the broadened upper end of the discharge spoutwith the vmouthpiece l5 serving to maintain close connection between thetwo inl all angular adjustments of the spout.

For adjusting the angular position of the discharge spout and supportingit in such adjustment, a system of ropes or cables isV mounted on thesupporting arms. Ropes or cables 38 are connected with eyes 39 Von oneof the discharge spout sections and pass over pulleys 40 on the ends ofthe near pair of supporting arms 32 and then over pulleys 4l near thehinge connection of the spout and are then wound upon drums 42 on ashaft 43 which is ournalled across the other pair of supporting arms 32.The shaft 43 may be 4turned for raising' or lowering' the end of thedischarge spout by means of a chain 44 passing around a sprocket wheel45 on said shaft and extending in a loop of sufficient length to beaccessible to the attendant at whatever the height of the materialwithin the silo or on the stack. The loo-p of chain 44 may be shortenedfrom time to time by removing sections of the chain.

of the chain 44 may be automatically im-` paled thereon for securing thedischarge spout in its adjusted position'.

Inoperation the ensilage, conducted in a continuous stream to the mouthof the distributor by the elevating conveyor, is dropped through theslowly rotating mouth l5 and falls upon the angular defiecting portionof the upper spout section by which it is forcibly directeddown thespout. It is customary and advisable in filling a silo or 1n building astack, to begin with a ring of material on the outside and then fill inevenly to the center. The spout is therefore started at its hightestposition and after depositing sufficient material in the outerr ring itis lowered by degrees to distribute the niaterial in concentric rings ofsmaller diameter, thus producing a uniform layer. Vhereas, with the oldmethod, where the material fell directly from the end of the conveyor,it would require, in a silo of forty-five feet in diameter or a sit-ackof the same size, about four men to distribute the ensilage at the rateof about eight or ten.A

tons per hour 0r the capacity of four green pea viners, with the presentinvention one man can do all of the work that is necessary and the workis done better and with less difficulty. While the timing of therotating movements of the distributor spout is op; tional, it is founddesirable to have it make a complete revolution in about Vtwenty minutesin working under the conditions above mentioned.

The discharge spout is made in sections so that as the silo fills andthe circle of distribution becomes smaller one section after another canbe removed so as to shorten the spout. This feature is also of value incom pleting a stack with a conical top. Y

While details of construction have been shown and described in order togive a clear understanding of one form of the invention, it will beunderstood that'such details areA not essential to the invention, formany changes may be made without departingI from the purpose and spiritof the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. In an ensilage distributor, an inclined elevating conveyor, a monthreceiving vines therefrom, and a rotating inclined 4open trough having afixed angular` defiecting portion at its upper part upon which thefibrous material is dropped from the conveyor and directed down thechute being pivotally mounted at the rear of the mouth, said chuteforming an inclined rotating discharge spout in continuation of thepassageway through the mouth for depositing the material in a circularpath.

2. An ensilage distributor for handling pea vines and the likecomprising an inclined elevating conveyor, a rotating tubular mouthreceiving the vines from the conveyor, and an open trough inclined toforni a discharge spout and pivotally mounted at the rear of the mouthto form a continuation of the passageway therethrough in any inclinedposition of the trough.

8. An ensilage distributor for handling green pea vines and the likecomprising an inclined elevating conveyor, a rotating mouth receivingthe vines from the conveyor, an open trough forming an inclineddischarge spout and having a 'fixed deflecting portion at its upper endhaving a greater inclination, said upper end of the trough beingpivotally mounted at the rear of the mouth so that the trough forms acontinuation of the passageway through the mouth in any inclinationthereof without interruption or obstruction.

4. An ensilage distributor for handling green pea vines and the likecomprising an inclined elevating conveyor, a rotating tubular mouthmember into which the vines are discharged by the conveyor, an opentrough forming an inclined discharge spout embracing the mouth memberbetween its sides and pivotally mounted at the rear of the mouth memberso as to form a continuation of the passageway therethrough in allinclined positions of the spout.

5. In an ensilage distributor, an elevating conveyor, an inclineddischarge spout rotatably mounted in position to receive materialtherefrom, means for driving the discharge spout, and means for varyingthe angle of inclination of the discharge spout.

6. In an ensilage distributor for handling green pea vines and the like,a supporting frame, a rotatably mounted cylindrical mouth carrying theframe, and a discharge spout pivotally mounted on the frame with itsside edges fitting against the mouth and between the mouth and theframe.

7. In an ensilage distributor, a suitably supported ring, rollersadjustably mounted on the ring, a rotatable mouthpiece having trackrings bearing on the rollers, and an inclined discharge spout carried bythe mouthpiece.

8. An ensilage distributor, comprising a suitably supported platform,rollers mounted thereon, a rotatable mouthpiece mounted between therollers, an elevating conveyor for discharging material into themouthpiese, a discharge spout pivotally mounted on the mouthpiece, andmeans for turning the mouthpiece and the spout.

9. In an ensilage distributor, a rotatably mounted mouth, a dischargespout pivotally mounted thereon, a supporting frame secured to the mouthto rotate therewith, and means mounted on the supporting frame forraising and lowering the free end of the discharge. spout.

10. In an ensilage distributor, a rotatably mounted cylindrical mouth, arectangular metal frame surrounding the lower part of the mouth andsecured thereto, supporting arms secured to the metal frame, a swingingdischarge spout pivotally mounted on the metal frame, and means on thesupporting arms for raising and lowering the free end of the dischargespout.

l1. In an ensilage distributor, a rotatably mounted mouth, supportingarms having connection therewith, a discharge spout pivotally mounted onthe mouth, a shaft journalled on the supporting arms, ropes connectedwith the discharge spout and wound around the shaft, and means forturning the shaft for varying the inclination of the discharge spout.

12. In an ensilage distributor for green pea vines and the like, arotatably mounted mouth, a discharge spout consisting of an open troughpivotally connected thereto at the rear of the mouth to form anuninterrupted continuation of the passageway therethrough in allinclined positions of the spout, and means for counterbalancing thespout.

13. In an ensilage distributor, a rotatably mounted mouth, an inclineddischarge spout pivotally mounted thereon, a supporting frame carried bythe mouth, a shaft journalled on the supporting frame, ropes connectedto the discharge spout and passing over pulleys on the supporting armand wound around the shaft, a counterweight having a rope also woundaround the shaft, a loop passing aro-und the shaft by means of which theshaft may be turned for raising or lowering the discharge spout, andmeans on the supporting frame adapted to be engaged by the loop forholding the discharge spout in its adjustments.

14. In an ensilage distributor, a pivotally mounted rotatable inclineddischarge spout, chain operated means for changing the inclination ofthe discharge spout, and a hook in the path of the chain toautomatically engage it and hold the spout at any inclination.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signa-- ture, in presence of twowitnesses.

FRANK HAMAGHEK. Vitnesses F. I-IAMACHEK, Jr. E. W. CLAssoN.

